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<\/a><\/p>\nWe have completed 10 weeks of the 2025 NFL season. and things are starting to take shape, including the impact players of this year\u2019s rookie class.<\/p>\n
This week saw a lot of breakout performances, and we\u2019re going to look at the best at each position. A reminder that in order to qualify for this list, a rookie must have played at least 10 snaps.<\/p>\n
Quarterback: Tyler Shough<\/a><\/a>, New Orleans Saints<\/a><\/a> \u2013 76.8<\/p>\n After a shaky start to his NFL career, Saints rookie Tyler Shough<\/a> looked much more comfortable in Week 10 against the Panthers<\/a>, leading the team to his first NFL win. The former second-rounder out of Louisville<\/a> completed 19-of-27 passes for 282 yards and two touchdowns. He added two big-time throws without registering a single turnover-worthy play for a 75.5 PFF passing grade.<\/p>\n Running Back: Woody Marks<\/a>, Houston<\/a><\/a> Texans<\/a><\/a> \u2013 86.5<\/p>\n Not only did Woody Marks post the highest PFF grade amongst rookie running backs this week, but that grade came on the most offensive snaps with 60 \u2014 so sample size isn\u2019t an issue here. Marks carried the ball 15 times for 68 yards and a score to go along with a career-best 87.5 PFF rushing grade against the Jaguars<\/a> while adding two receptions for 18 yards and a 73.4 PFF receiving grade.<\/p>\n Wide Receiver: Jayden Higgins<\/a><\/a>, Houston<\/a> Texans<\/a> \u2013 79.2<\/p>\n Another Texans rookie that came up big in the team\u2019s win over the division-rival Jaguars, Higgins had by far the most productive game of his young career. He caught five of his eight targets for 42 yards and a touchdown, culminating in a 78.3 PFF receiving grade \u2014 all of which are career highs.<\/p>\n Wide Receiver: Luther<\/a> Burden III<\/a>, Chicago<\/a> Bears<\/a><\/a> \u2013 78.9<\/p>\n Burden\u2019s role in the Bears\u2019 offense has been inconsistent in his rookie year, but he was a big part in their comeback win over the Giants<\/a>. The second-round pick hauled in three passes for 51 yards, tied for his second-best output on the season. That performance trails only his breakout Week 3 game against the Cowboys<\/a>, where he caught three passes for 101 yards and a score.<\/p>\n Wide Receiver: Jaylin <\/a>Lane<\/a>, Washington<\/a><\/a> Commanders<\/a><\/a> \u2013 77.0<\/p>\n It was a tough showing for the Commanders in their 44-22 loss to the Lions<\/a>, but Lane managed to make the most of his limited action \u2014 hauling in his only target for 41 yards with Brian Branch<\/a> draped all over him. On the season, Lane has converted half of his receptions into first downs, making him one of the more intriguing deep threats in this rookie class.<\/p>\n Tight End: Jackson Hawes<\/a><\/a>, Buffalo<\/a><\/a> Bills<\/a><\/a> \u2013 83.7<\/p>\n Hawes continues to be one of the more intriguing rookies we\u2019ve seen in recent seasons. As a receiving threat, he doesn\u2019t have a lot of volume, as he only has eight receptions for 113 yards on the year. But, his value has come primarily as a blocker, carrying a 70.7 PFF run-blocking grade this season and an 80.2 grade in pass protection. That\u2019s not to say he doesn\u2019t have his moments as a receiver, though, as he caught a 26-yard touchdown in the Bills\u2019 loss to the Dolphins<\/a>.<\/p>\n Offensive Tackle: Josh Conerly Jr.<\/a><\/a>, Washington<\/a> Commanders<\/a> \u2013 74.4<\/p>\n The 29th overall pick out of Oregon<\/a> makes his debut on this list with his strongest showing of the season against an intense Lions defensive line. In pass protection, he only allowed one pressure on 28 such snaps while being stronger in the run game, carrying a 76.8 mark on Sunday.<\/p>\n Offensive Tackle: Aireontae Ersery<\/a><\/a>, Houston<\/a> Texans<\/a> \u2013 74.2<\/p>\n After a shaky start to his career, Ersery now has a grade hovering around 75.0 in two of his last three games, with his pass protection being the highlight. On 53 pass-blocking snaps, Ersery permitted just three pressures, none of which resulted in Davis Mills<\/a> going to the ground. That was big in the Texans keeping their season alive with their win over the Jaguars.<\/p>\n Interior Offensive Line: Tate Ratledge<\/a><\/a>, Detroit Lions<\/a><\/a> \u2013 73.7<\/p>\n It\u2019s been trial by fire for Ratledge this season, as he was unexpectedly thrust into a starting role \u2014 but he\u2019s been more consistently solid as the season has gone along. Sunday\u2019s performance against the Commanders was the second-best of his career in terms of PFF grade, and his run blocking was where he shined brightest. Ratledge\u2019s 76.5 grade in that field was the second-best of his career, performing best on outside zone blocks. Almost half of the Lions\u2019 runs were outside zone, and Ratledge secured a strong 73.8 grade on such plays.<\/p>\n Interior Offensive Line: Donovan Jackson<\/a><\/a>, Minnesota<\/a><\/a> Vikings<\/a><\/a> \u2013 64.3<\/p>\n While Jackson did allow a career-high five pressures against the Ravens<\/a>, it also came on 52 pass-blocking snaps \u2014 only the second time where he\u2019s ever had a game with more than 40. In all, pass protection has been Jackson\u2019s strength this season, as he carries a 65.1 mark that\u2019s dragged down by one bad game against the Falcons<\/a> all the way back in Week 2.<\/p>\n Interior Offensive Line: Grey Zabel<\/a><\/a>, Seattle<\/a> Seahawks<\/a><\/a> \u2013 46.0<\/p>\n While Zabel\u2019s overall PFF grade isn\u2019t anything to write home about, it may have been higher had the Seahawks needed to pass more in their win over the Cardinals<\/a>. Zabel only saw 15 pass-blocking snaps, his fewest all season, but had a 68.6 grade on such plays. He only surrendered one pressure, which came on a bull rush by fellow first-rounder Walter Nolen<\/a> \u2014 where Zabel was able to anchor down just before Nolen could get home.<\/p>\n Edge Defender: Jalon Walker<\/a><\/a>, Atlanta Falcons<\/a><\/a> \u2013 87.5<\/p>\n Atlanta\u2019s top draft pick was a bright spot in the team\u2019s overtime loss to the Colts<\/a> in Berlin. As a pass rusher, he recorded three pressures, including a sack. But, it was against the run where he shined brightest, posting a career-best 81.4 figure that included a stop. A quarter of his run-defense plays received a positive grade, with zero negatively-graded plays.<\/p>\n Edge Defender: Jordan Burch<\/a>, Arizona<\/a> Cardinals<\/a> \u2013 79.4<\/p>\n While the Cardinals had a tough go against the Seahawks, Jordan Burch played the best game of his young career. He was on the field for 25 snaps \u2014 20 of which against the run \u2014 which was where he was at his best, compiling a 77.5 grade. Burch had no negatively-graded plays, while 20% of his run-defense snaps received positive grades.<\/p>\n Defensive Interior: Yahya Black<\/a>, Pittsburgh<\/a> Steelers<\/a> \u2013 91.0<\/p>\n As if the Steelers didn\u2019t have enough impact defensive linemen, here comes rookie fifth-rounder Yahya Black<\/a> out of Iowa<\/a>. Until week 10 against the Chargers, Black had yet to record a PFF game grade over 60.0. Yet, he absolutely broke out on Sunday night with a 91.0 grade that included an 85.0 mark against the run and 79.0 as a pass rusher. Black tallied two stops in the run game with 41.7% of his snaps receiving a positive grade as opposed to zero negatives. As a pass rusher, he compiled a 25% pass-rush win rate, which is huge considering he only has one other game with a win rate at all \u2014 that being 5.6% against the Seahawks in Week 2.<\/p>\n Defensive Interior: Mason Graham<\/a><\/a>, Cleveland <\/a>Brown<\/a>s<\/a> \u2013 82.2<\/p>\n The top defensive tackle off the board, Graham had been maligned for much of his rookie year for not having a big impact as a pass rusher. Week 10 against the Jets<\/a> was a different story, as Graham crushed his previous career-high PFF pass-rush grade of 76.9 with an 88.7 number on 14 such snaps. Graham nearly doubled his previous-best pass-rush win rate at 28.6%. While none of his three pressures resulted in sacks, two ended with Justin Fields<\/a> on the turf.<\/p>\n Linebacker: Teddye Buchanan<\/a><\/a>, Baltimore Ravens<\/a><\/a> \u2013 77.7<\/p>\n After having some struggles to open his rookie year in coverage, Buchanan now has a PFF coverage grade over 60.0 in three of his last four games, including a career-best 78.5 number against the Vikings on Sunday. Buchanan was only targeted twice on 22 coverage snaps and yielded just one reception for six yards for a 56.3 passer rating against.<\/p>\n Linebacker: Cody Simon<\/a>, Arizona<\/a> Cardinals<\/a> \u2013 55.5<\/p>\n The fourth-rounder out of Ohio State<\/a> had logged just 23 defensive snaps in his career prior to the Cardinals\u2019 Week 10 matchup with the Seahawks. Simon saw a significant increase in his role by playing 62 snaps in that game, with mixed results. While his 48.2 PFF run-defense grade is something he\u2019ll want to improve, he was strong in coverage with a 71.4 grade. Simon allowed just one reception for 17 yards, but he also added a forced incompletion to the mix on 15 coverage snaps.<\/p>\n Cornerback: Nikko Reed<\/a>, Los Angeles Chargers<\/a><\/a> \u2013 79.2<\/p>\n Like Simon in the previous entry, Nikko Reed<\/a> had barely seen the field on defense prior to the Chargers\u2019 Week 10 victory over the Steelers. He played 21 of his 36 career defensive snaps in that night\u2019s contest, 20 of which came in coverage \u2014 where he put up a strong showing with a 79.8 grade. Playing exclusively in the slot, Reed gave up just one reception on four targets for eight yards and a forced incompletion.<\/p>\n Cornerback: Quincy<\/a> Riley<\/a>, New Orleans Saints<\/a> \u2013 64.0<\/p>\n While Riley has had better performances in recent weeks, his coverage skills against the Panthers played a big role in the team earning its first road win of the season. Riley collected a 63.2 PFF coverage grade, allowing a career-high four receptions but none that really burned him \u2014 he allowed just 48 yards. He also added a forced incompletion and hasn\u2019t allowed a touchdown since Week 6.<\/p>\n Cornerback: Jacob Parrish<\/a><\/a>, Tampa<\/a> Bay Buccaneers<\/a><\/a> \u2013 60.6<\/p>\n Despite the Buccaneers\u2019 loss to the Patriots<\/a>, Parrish was one of the team\u2019s steadier performers on defense. He was at his best in coverage, surrendering just two catches on three targets for 17 yards and a 65.3 PFF coverage grade.<\/p>\n Safety: Malaki Starks<\/a><\/a>, Baltimore Ravens<\/a> \u2013 91.1<\/p>\n Back-to-back elite performances for the first safety of the board in this year\u2019s draft. Starks barely missed out on topping his 91.2 grade from Week 9, but he did edge his career-best 89.0 PFF coverage grade with an 89.9 figure against the Vikings. Starks allowed just one reception for five yards into his coverage while also recording an interception for the second straight week.<\/p>\n Safety: R.J. Mickens<\/a>, Los Angeles Chargers<\/a> \u2013 84.4<\/p>\n After not seeing any playing time on defense until Week 6, Mickens has carved out a role in this Chargers<\/a>\u2019 defense. His showing on Sunday night against the Steelers<\/a> was his best yet, setting career highs across the board in PFF grade, run-defense grade (63.8) and coverage grade (76.0). In coverage, Mickens permitted just one reception for two yards while also recording his second NFL interception. In fact, Mickens has as many interceptions on the season as catches allowed into his coverage.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Two Chargers secondary players show out: Nikko Reed and R.J. Mickens contributed to Los Angeles’ primetime win over…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":277465,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[559],"tags":[64,63,593,85],"class_list":["post-277464","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-nfl","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-nfl","tag-sports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/277464","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=277464"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/277464\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/277465"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=277464"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=277464"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=277464"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n